Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Something completely different about this book, compared to every other book by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD is that it is not only a profound exposition on human nature, perception, evolution, the creation of the universe, the present-day global crisis and our destiny, but that this book is also entertaining and fun to read.

It has many sidebars and alerts combined with the text which make what seemed like complex terms and definitions, very easy to understand. This book helped me define words that sometimes aren't so clear upon the first reading and in his other books. You can see that a lot of work has gone into this book to really say to somebody walking on the street: "Hey, do you know about Kabbalah? Do you know what you can get from it? No really, it's not all those things you think it is or that you hear about it... Kabbalah is something completely different to all that, and here you'll find out why. With this book, you'll start working out how you can already start using Kabbalah to make profound changes in your life."

In the beginning of the book, there is a lot of investment in describing what Kabbalah is through delving into what Kabbalah is not. Kabbalah is compared to religion, mysticism, magic, numerology, tarot cards and all sorts of things you'll find it associated with if you look around. Because of this, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah gives a much more complete definition of Kabbalah, when you start seeing what specifically differentiates it from other methods.

The co-writing with Collin Canright must be the reason for the entertaining and fun aspect of the book, with examples and analogies I haven't seen in his previous books, which really do "guide" the reader. For example, the alerts are very useful in the context of explaining spiritual concepts as opposed to physical concepts--you're never allowed to fall into the trap of envisioning something physical when something spiritual is described because the alerts guide you as to how to understand the spiritual concepts from the Kabbalistic viewpoint.

After a comprehensive 60 pages of what Kabbalah is and isn't, the book starts giving a beginners course in Kabbalah. "Before the Big Bang" describes just that--what happened before the big bang and how our universe was created; "The Reality Cycle" gets into how we perceive reality and how Kabbalah is a method for changing human perception; "Kabbalah in Today's World" deals with the causes of the global crisis rising in our era and how to fix every problem in our lives directly from its cause--correcting the uncorrected ego.

There are many other sections, and in general I'd recommend this book for anyone who is genuinely searching for something to improve their life and the life of others, and who wants to see a better state of the world than the one before them today.

Kabbalah really gives a whole new perspective on life, which on the surface seems a lot like any other Eastern method or some late-20th century philosophy, but when you get deeper into it you see how it's something actually completely different and even opposite to every other thing you've come across, and that you receive something completely different from it. I couldn't recommend a more suitable introduction to Kabbalah than this book.

Just when you thought that there was no easy way to introduce the subject of Kabbalah to the average person we discover the book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah."

In this book the subject of Kabbalah is introduced to the average person who has never been exposed to the study of Judaism because the BAN AGAINST STUDYING KABBALAH HAS BEEN LIFTED (yes it was kept away from people for along time) and now everyone can read and learn about it; all that is needed is the desire for answers to your questions.

If you wanted a clean and clear cut way to be introduced to the vast and wonderful study of Kabbalah, this is the book you've been waiting for.

You won't be burdened with overly mystic jargon; instead an ancient subject is exposed and given relevance in our chaotic modern time.

The book is divided into sections that you can read chronologically or if you want to skip around and check out a particular subject you can also do that.
However, I recommend going in sequence as the subjects in each section builds upon each other to give you a more coherent understanding of Kabbalah.

An example of one of the subjects is the chapter called "Debunking the Myths."
Here it explains all the beliefs and myths that have surrounded Kabbalah for centuries and clarifies why Kabbalah is not a religion or magic or a New Age thing.

The book even manages to give a condensed history of Kabbalah in the section called "Kabbalah from Adam to the present in a dozen pages." Whew that's what I call really condensing time!

As you move along the chapters you will notice small separate sidebars; "Kab-Trivia", "definitions" or "red alerts". Each of the sidebars is for the purpose of educating and entertaining the reader.

The authors go on to explain where our original desires come from and why spirituality is such a popular subject nowadays.

If you ever wanted to understand how to read those old stories of the Bible there is a whole chapter on "Decoding the Spiritual Language." No you don't have to learn Hebrew but you do need to understand the language Kabbalah is written in and how ideas are presented.

Ever wondered why your prayer's are not answered or if there is anyone thats actually listening; check out the chapter on "Praying with Results" it explains how if you work at prayer, your prayer works for you."

There is so much more but I am going to give you the chance to peruse through the book yourselves and enjoying the search for your specific answer because it's there.

Have fun!

This book is written in the simplest manner possible to explain to the layman person about the meaning and significance of the wisdom of Kabbalah, to those who are searching for the true answers about the meaning of life, for the spiritual enlightenment and not for the "magic pill" for the quick solution of the problems in life. It is not about amulets, and "holy water", no red strings attached. This book is taking away all the clouds of mystery and concealment, which surrounded the wisdom of Kabbalah for millenniums. It'll open up the whole new world for you.
Nonna

A seemingly simple layman's guide, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah is a real gem. You will thoroughly enjoy Rav Michael Laitman's ability to portray the spiritual path in such a clear, no-nonsense, practical manner. If the seeker inside you hasn't quite found the quality guidance most of us only wish for, then save yourself time and choose this book. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah (Complete Idiot's Guide to)

The people at Penguin deserve a round of applause for adding the subject of kabbalah to their "Complete Idiot's Guide" series of books. Considering the plethora of misconceptions of what kabbalah is and what it's for this book could have easily been another `no-help' help book. But to write this book Penguin chose Michael Laitman. Mr. Laitman is the real deal - a living representative of a line of true kabbalists and author of 30 books on the subject. The "Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah" not only explains simply and effectively the intricacies of kabbalah but it also sets the reader on the correct path for lifelong study should he or she choose to do so. Kudos Penguin

This guide is a great introduction to Kabbalah, as taught by Beni Baruch. The writing is very very easy to read and comprehend at a superficial level, while it makes you think extremely deeply at each subsequent reading.

Like any book full of profound information, it merits multiple readings over a period of time, and each time I pick it up, I see things a little differently, and in many cases a little deeper as well. Different aspects seem to be emphasized each time I read it - which likely corresponds to the various levels the book is written on.

It is a great companion to the Bnei Baruch online classes. The two complement each other extremely well, and while you can do one without the other, the two together are powerful catalysts for growth and learning.

Highly recommended!

Many people have only heard of Kabbalah on TV talk or late night shows but after
reading `The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah' you will now understand that this ancient wisdom
is not just a craze or another fad to follow.

This book is filled with many facts and helpful hints that would usually take a person
reading many other books to gain all this information. Has reading the bible been confusing?
Here you will find how to read the bible from a different way, the Kabbalah way.
It will help you to understand the Hebrew language and even answer your
questions on reincarnation.

As a student of Kabbalah, I have read many other books, but know you will find
that The Idiots Guide is written in a very simple, easy to read format.
Rav Laitman has been able to cover so many different aspects of Kabbalah in this
one book. You will find it an easy, fun journey, one you will revisit often.

Rav Laitman and BB are the only real source for Kabbalah. If you want to know the truth about Kabbalah and why we exist, this is the choice for you. I have read many of Rav Laitman's books and they are all great. Good luck on your journey, but if you choose this book, you are light years ahead of everyone else.

Like the title says this book is Amazing! It offers an un-paralleled view on the what true Kabbalah is. Laitman gives you insights into the deepest mysteries in a way that even a complete Idiot could understand ha ha. This book is for anyone who needs answers to their unanswered questions, here you will find your answers.

I'm not quite sure where all these rave reviews are coming from, but I did not think this was a very good book at all. The majority of the book is about the history of Kabbalah (i.e. how long it's been around, who some of the first Kabbalists were, etc) and debunking the myths about Kabbalah. However, there is hardly anything about what Kabbalah actually IS, other than it's not a religion, but a "spiritual science". There's really no step by step/how-to guide in this book or any kind of tips on how to get started. By the end of this LONG book, I still had no real understanding of what Kabbalah is or how to apply it to my own life or how to get started. The book is also full of repetition and pointless metaphors. I should have known the book was going to be a waste of time when after just a few pages, it started talking about the celebrities who have/had studied Kabbalah, as if celebrities studying it is supposed to make it more special and enticing.